Thursday, August 23, 2007
Rock'n'Roll of Ages?
By Brian Ervin
Urban Tulsa
... A local downtown church began a series this week entitled "the Gospel according to the Beatles," which, as the title indicates, examines the parallels between the messages of John, Paul, Ringo, and George and those of another John and Paul, and some guys named Matt, Mark and Luke, too.
Read all about it.
Funny, I like country music, and I like Southern gospel music. And I like classic rock. And I like bluegrass and folk and some classical.
But in church these days, I prefer Bach and other "high church" stuff, and the old-standby hymns even if they come with updated "inclusive" language.
What are y'alls' preferences for church music?
--ER
Urban Tulsa
... A local downtown church began a series this week entitled "the Gospel according to the Beatles," which, as the title indicates, examines the parallels between the messages of John, Paul, Ringo, and George and those of another John and Paul, and some guys named Matt, Mark and Luke, too.
Read all about it.
Funny, I like country music, and I like Southern gospel music. And I like classic rock. And I like bluegrass and folk and some classical.
But in church these days, I prefer Bach and other "high church" stuff, and the old-standby hymns even if they come with updated "inclusive" language.
What are y'alls' preferences for church music?
--ER
Comments:
<< Home
Hey ER,
I came here from 4Simpsons, because I liked your comments. Don't comment there now, just lurk, because well...it gets old after a while.
My favorite hymn is "Earth and All Stars" From the Luthern hymnal.
Also, "This is my Father's World."
Raised Luthern, but pretty much explored every other denomination.
Wound up a Deist.
I like the best representatives of pretty much any kind of music. Esp. heavy metal, but my next favorite is bluegrass and rockabilly. I play the cello and love classical and Baroque as well.
I came here from 4Simpsons, because I liked your comments. Don't comment there now, just lurk, because well...it gets old after a while.
My favorite hymn is "Earth and All Stars" From the Luthern hymnal.
Also, "This is my Father's World."
Raised Luthern, but pretty much explored every other denomination.
Wound up a Deist.
I like the best representatives of pretty much any kind of music. Esp. heavy metal, but my next favorite is bluegrass and rockabilly. I play the cello and love classical and Baroque as well.
# posted by 
: 12:23 AM
: 12:23 AM
Oooh, I married one cellist and raised another one! I call 'em Big Fiddles. :-)
Welcome, Teresa. Come back anytime. I'm pretty damn rough around the edges sometimes, but I try to shoot straight and wear it all on my blogsleeve -- faith, sin, shame, hope, failings, fears -- LIFE. :-)
Welcome, Teresa. Come back anytime. I'm pretty damn rough around the edges sometimes, but I try to shoot straight and wear it all on my blogsleeve -- faith, sin, shame, hope, failings, fears -- LIFE. :-)
ER,
Cool. My Dad is a cellist, and my youngest son is as well. It's a fambly thang.
Glad I found your blog, keep up the good fight.
Cool. My Dad is a cellist, and my youngest son is as well. It's a fambly thang.
Glad I found your blog, keep up the good fight.
# posted by : 12:36 AM
: 12:36 AM
ER,
"Oh, and Teresa, deists are totally welcome at the Congregational-UCC church I belong to. :-) "
Not surprised form your comments, but pleased. I also regularly use the term "Bible idolatry". It's a favorite. :-)
Glad to meet you ER.
"Oh, and Teresa, deists are totally welcome at the Congregational-UCC church I belong to. :-) "
Not surprised form your comments, but pleased. I also regularly use the term "Bible idolatry". It's a favorite. :-)
Glad to meet you ER.
# posted by : 12:38 AM
: 12:38 AM
Now here you've got a topic I can swim around in like a fish. Church music is like air and blood to me -- can't live without it! My preferences run the full gamut from Gregorian chants to high-church classic to American hymns to "new-age" contemporary piano /jazz piano arrangements. I collect hymnals from different denominations -- my written music collection fills a closet. I'm having a hard time right now dealing with not having a piano at my new house. But I did join the handbell choir and chancel choir at the church I probably will join soon. And I also was blessed when I asked the choir director if it would be OK if I practiced piano sometimes and he said OK.
I always want to the play handbells, especailly since they alwsys need men for the big bells. But I can't read music! Do they have Fisher-Price handbell music for lunkheads like me?
And I'm sad that yr panio-less. ..One of my best friends in college used to routinely drink too much, then break into Bennett Chapel at OSU in themiddle of the night to play the piano. The cops eventually got to where they just let him play awhile, then asked him to leave. I can't imagine anything like that happening in this day so Zero Tolerance -- which I believe is a tool of the devil hisself.
And I'm sad that yr panio-less. ..One of my best friends in college used to routinely drink too much, then break into Bennett Chapel at OSU in themiddle of the night to play the piano. The cops eventually got to where they just let him play awhile, then asked him to leave. I can't imagine anything like that happening in this day so Zero Tolerance -- which I believe is a tool of the devil hisself.
YES you can play handbells, and I so command you to go straight to the director and volunteer. You'll have one or two lines on the staff that you'll learn to watch for your note. All you really need to do is count, and they will gladly show you that. Reading music is no big deal, I promise. You won't be writing chemistry formulas or anything like that. It's more like "Here, let me read you a Dr. Seuss book" on the scale of difficulties. Relax and enjoy it. If it's unbearable, you can quit after you give it a good honest try. And if you like it, it will be a joy to you for years. I think playing guitar is much more difficult.
As I love music of all sorts, this is kind of a hard question and seems to mostly come down to a matter of degree.
For example, I've heard jazz combos at various churches and enjoyed them, but then once heard one that was very avante guarde and is just didn't seem to fit to my ears.
On the other end of things, big, bold rip-snorters from a well-trained organist are always a blast. But someone just banging on the keys gives me a headache.
Can't fault the enthusiasm, though. :-)
And while I'm a flute player, my dad's a cellist, and I love hearing him practice. Definitely my favourite string instrument.
For example, I've heard jazz combos at various churches and enjoyed them, but then once heard one that was very avante guarde and is just didn't seem to fit to my ears.
On the other end of things, big, bold rip-snorters from a well-trained organist are always a blast. But someone just banging on the keys gives me a headache.
Can't fault the enthusiasm, though. :-)
And while I'm a flute player, my dad's a cellist, and I love hearing him practice. Definitely my favourite string instrument.
My own preference for church music is baroque/classical music. I love the masses of Bach, Schubert, and Mozart. I also like the musical setting for Russian Vespers by Rachmaninoff, although that is technically Romantic rather than classical.
Can a secularist love hymns? If so, put me down for the prolific
works of John Bacchus Dykes (Melita, the "Navy Hymn", Nicea,
Holy, Holy Holy), the equally prolific William H. Monk (Bright &
Beautiful, Abide With Me). Between them, they account for 31 hymns in the Episcopal hymnal and 41 in the Lutheran hymnal. My favorite, though, is John Hughs' Cwm Rhondda,
the unoffical Welsh national hymn, sung at funeral of Princess Diana, of which it has been noted, "..a belter of a hymn which defies you to sing it quietly". Hmm, looks like I should visit St. Godrics-
Durham
works of John Bacchus Dykes (Melita, the "Navy Hymn", Nicea,
Holy, Holy Holy), the equally prolific William H. Monk (Bright &
Beautiful, Abide With Me). Between them, they account for 31 hymns in the Episcopal hymnal and 41 in the Lutheran hymnal. My favorite, though, is John Hughs' Cwm Rhondda,
the unoffical Welsh national hymn, sung at funeral of Princess Diana, of which it has been noted, "..a belter of a hymn which defies you to sing it quietly". Hmm, looks like I should visit St. Godrics-
Durham
Thanks fer playin, BB!
Mr. BBS, I like me some Gairher, too. When all else faithwise seems a shambles in my head, and all that's left is my heart a beatin' I always fall back on this simple hymn from Bill G.:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
There's just something about that name
Master, Saviour, Jesus
Like the fragrance after the rain
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let all Heaven and Earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms
Will all pass away
But there's something about that Name.
Therein lies the very least of any Christians theology -- and it's all that really matters.
Mr. BBS, I like me some Gairher, too. When all else faithwise seems a shambles in my head, and all that's left is my heart a beatin' I always fall back on this simple hymn from Bill G.:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
There's just something about that name
Master, Saviour, Jesus
Like the fragrance after the rain
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let all Heaven and Earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms
Will all pass away
But there's something about that Name.
Therein lies the very least of any Christians theology -- and it's all that really matters.
I like the classics for church music, with a little contemporary thrown in to the mix. You may recall that my cell phone rinbgtone is Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" recorded by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. That isn't just because it always gets a smile in the check out line at Walmart, but because I really love the song.
By the way, ER, if you've never heard it the best mix of contemporary and timeless classic church music I know of is a collection of old timey hymns recorded in a contemporary style by Christian contemporary band, 4 Him.
I love them all but if I had to choose a favorite among them it would probably be "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" with "It Is Well" running a close second.
By the way, ER, if you've never heard it the best mix of contemporary and timeless classic church music I know of is a collection of old timey hymns recorded in a contemporary style by Christian contemporary band, 4 Him.
I love them all but if I had to choose a favorite among them it would probably be "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" with "It Is Well" running a close second.
Oh, and if, by some weird turn of events, you happen to be named executor of my estate, I want "It Is Well" to be performed at my funeral.
I dig a buncha stuff. Don't care much for "high church," at least as I understand it.
But what I like best falls in the gospel/bluegrass/appalachian/folky line, including such variety as:
I'll Fly Away, Angel Band, Blowin' in the Wind, Blow Up Yer TV, This Land is Your Land, Fairest Lord Jesus, Cool of the Day, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Eyes on the Prize, Church in the Wildwood, One Love (Marley), etc, etc, etc - all of which have been done at our church at one time or the other.
We also dig black gospel music and an occasional foray into classical.
Speaking of the Beatles, once, we used Yellow Submarine once as an invitational song. I wasn't there, then but apparently it fit into the sermon's theme.
But what I like best falls in the gospel/bluegrass/appalachian/folky line, including such variety as:
I'll Fly Away, Angel Band, Blowin' in the Wind, Blow Up Yer TV, This Land is Your Land, Fairest Lord Jesus, Cool of the Day, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Eyes on the Prize, Church in the Wildwood, One Love (Marley), etc, etc, etc - all of which have been done at our church at one time or the other.
We also dig black gospel music and an occasional foray into classical.
Speaking of the Beatles, once, we used Yellow Submarine once as an invitational song. I wasn't there, then but apparently it fit into the sermon's theme.
Oh, and here are some great requiem parts:
Introitus—Brahms, Mozart
Introit and Kyrie—Faure
Dies Irae—Britten, Brahms
Pie Jesu—Rutter
I have a thing for requiem masses. Otherwise I'm fairly normal.
Introitus—Brahms, Mozart
Introit and Kyrie—Faure
Dies Irae—Britten, Brahms
Pie Jesu—Rutter
I have a thing for requiem masses. Otherwise I'm fairly normal.
Ha!
My wife, Dr. ER, is a cellist, a rusty one I'm sure. She's the classical music person, really, in the ER family.
My wife, Dr. ER, is a cellist, a rusty one I'm sure. She's the classical music person, really, in the ER family.
But, I have had Haydn: "Sturm und Drang" Symphonies Nos. 44-49, in my Amazon shopping cart for a while.
Post a Comment
<< Home
